The name has changed but the result is the same — seriously injured teenagers.
The dangerous “jumpkick challenge” is the latest dare on social media platform TikTok, but it's not new.
Known as the “skull-breaker challenge” in 2020, the risky trend caused serious injuries among teenagers and even led to assault charges in the US. Now it has resurfaced in South Africa.
Last week Durban paramedics were called to two schools where pupils were injured while participating in the challenge, which involves two people kicking the legs from under a third, making them fall over, often hitting the back of their head on the ground.
Pinetown Girls’ High School acting principal Elizabeth Benjamin said two pupils were “injured quite seriously” while attempting the challenge.
“Before the school day started today [August 28], a concerning incident took place on the grade 8 field. Two learners were injured quite seriously in what appears to be an attempt to participate in a TikTok challenge. Paramedics had to be called to assist the learners and they commented that they had attended another school yesterday for a very similar incident,” she said in a communique to parents.
Benjamin said the girls were aware cellphones should have been in their lockers and not on the fields as this was a breach of school rules.
Provincial education department spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said it was “concerned about the growing trend of learners participating in dangerous TikTok challenges that result in injuries that could potentially harm their wellbeing”.
He said the department endorsed the call to ban cellphones during school and urged teachers and parents to educate pupils about the potential dangers of these challenges and the importance of responsible social media behaviour.
Social media lawyer Sarah Hoffman and clinical psychologist Pam Tudin-Buchalter, co-founders of Klikd, an online tool promoting digital safety for children, explained why pre-teens and teenagers are “obsessed” with challenges.
“Challenges can be songs, activities, or dances that start trending and then get copied by users on the platform and go viral. Sometimes they're spontaneous, but sometimes they're planned out by brands, celebrities or influencers for marketing purposes. Challenges are an easy way for people on TikTok to feel like they’re part of the TikTok community. Most challenges are carefully choreographed dance routines such as the “renegade challenge” and are nothing more than harmless fun. However, others such as the “skull-breaker challenge” can be very dangerous.”
Many parents remain unaware of what their children are exposed to online, while most are struggling to navigate the increasing number of dangerous challenges emerging on social media.
Parenting expert Nikki Bush said the trend was a teachable moment to help develop their child's critical thinking skills.
“Talk about it over supper or in the car with your children. Help them to think it through. This dare is also a practical joke to see who is gullible enough to 'get caught', to be the unsuspecting victim. It's about laughing at someone else's expense, which is unkind and embarrassing apart from the fact that the challenge could lead to severe injury including concussion, skull fracture, brain damage and even paralysis. When the video is posted online it becomes a cyberbullying and humiliation situation.
“Would they like to be a victim of this challenge? Would they do it to someone else? They need to make these choices before they are asked to participate, knowing the consequences. Help them think twice, to understand what they are being asked to do and what might happen should they do it. Understanding why they don't feel comfortable and what their gut is telling them is an essential conversation to have with them to make them aware of the power of herd mentality,” she said.
Reaching more than 250,000 families, the online parenting platform The Village often dissects social media trends.
“Concern about TikTok trends, such as the recent 'jumpkick' example and others, are always subject of deep concern,” said The Village founder Vanessa Raphaely. “There’s good reason why our next Village book is probably going to be called We Were Perfect Parents Until Our Children Got Devices. Because, when it comes to subjects causing parents grey hairs, sleepless nights and next level anxiety, the Pandora’s Box of horror of our kids' cellphones is right up there.”
Villager Gillian Rightford said TikTok shouldn’t be blamed.
“Kids will be watching stupid things wherever — WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube and SnapChat. It’s a teachable moment about peer pressure and risk and not blindly following trends.”
Dangerous trends on TikTok in South Africa in recent years include:
- Dry-scooping challenge — encourages teens to take a dry scoop of pre-workout powder supplements without water before they go to the gym. It can lead to heart palpitations, lung irritation or infection from accidental inhalation.
- Blackout challenge — encourages users to hold their breath until they pass out due to a lack of oxygen. It also encourages users to choke themselves using belts, towels and ropes.
- Jumpkick or skull-breaker challenge — two people kick the legs from under a third, making them fall over, often hitting the back of their head on the ground.
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